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County to build Logan Park dog park, not rec center

Relatives of a 13-year-old found slain in the park tell officials they think a dog park would be degrading to the boy's memory.

By AMBER MOBLEY
Published January 14, 2007

When 13-year-old Stephen Tomlinson's battered body was found in a Logan Gate park more than a year ago, the community came out in full force to demand what they considered to be long-overdue changes to the park.

A county-initiated public meeting drew nearly 200 people to discuss ways to make the park safer.

Overwhelmingly, county officials say, the public asked them to turn the site into a dog park.

On Thursday, officials presented the county's plan to do just that: lighting, fencing, bathroom upgrades and additional padding under the play equipment.

But this time, only about 30 or so folks attended. A majority were county officials and press.

Perhaps the community's wounds have healed.

But for Stephen's family, the hurt remains fresh, and a dog park is far from a solution.

A dog park, said Donald Tomlinson, Stephen's uncle, is "degrading" to his nephew.

"I object to it," said Ron Tomlinson, Stephen's father, after the presentation. He wants a recreational center at the site. "Why not take something negative and make it into something positive? Give the kids something to do."

While a rec center is "not impossible ... this may not be the best location" for one, said Mark Thornton, director of the county's Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. "Because of the cost, we've got to look at that closely."

A 3,500-square-foot rec center costs about $800,000, Thornton said. Turning the park into a dog park costs four times less and can be done quickly.

The county has earmarked about $200,000 for the dog park as well as a gazebo, walking trail and a lakeside boardwalk at two other Logan Gate parks near the community's entrance.

The Logan Gate Special Taxing District also plans to donate $20,000 annually for further improvements to those two parks, said board member Don Hardy, who supports the county's efforts.

Changes at the Logan Gate parks should be complete in late spring.

But some say those changes won't be for the better.

Logan Gate resident Shirley Smith said she won't be able to ride her bike at the soon-to-be dog park because the walking trail there will be fenced into the off-leash dog park area.

The additions, Brandy Tenpenny said, make the park less kid-friendly and add the danger of dog bites. "We need something like this," she said pointing around at the amenities at Carrollwood Meadows Recreation Center, where the meeting was held Thursday night.

Ron Tomlinson vows that his family will continue fighting for a rec center at the Logan Gate park where Stephen was slain. He also wants the site named after his son.

A neighborhood man, Joshua Rosa, is charged with strangling Stephen. Rosa, 20, is scheduled to make his next court appearance Wednesday in Hillsborough Circuit Court.

Amber Mobley can be reached at amobley@sptimes.com or 813 269-5311.

[Last modified January 13, 2007, 19:11:31]